The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine is the launch to student investigation around the anchoring phenomenon. This phenomenon will be the one that students will describe and explain, using disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts in investigations. The Anchoring Phenomenon Routine will encourage thoughtful consideration of the phenomenon, initial models, connections to related phenomenon, discussions about the phenomenon and the creation of the KLEWS chart used for documenting student learning. In an Anchoring Phenomenon Routine, ​students​:
● ​Are presented with a phenomenon or design problem
● ​Write and discuss what they notice and wonder about from the initial presentation
● ​Create and compare initial models of the phenomenon or problem
● ​Identify related experiences and knowledge that they could draw upon to explain the phenomenon or solve the problem
● ​Construct a KLEWS Chart
● ​Identify potential investigations to answer the questions on the KLEWS Chart, adding the questions to the chart

An activity combining language and science to encourage students to think about the night sky to help them write a poem related to astronomy.

This 5th grade STEM Storyline Unit from Washington Educational Service District 112 is focused around Climate Justice, Over five NGSS aligned lessons and using the 5E model, students are presented with the ideas of environmental stewardship and restoration.

In this 5th grade STEM Storyline Unit focused around Climate Justice, we present students with the idea of environmental stewardship and restoration. Students learn from communities and activists who are working to protect the Earth against negative human impacts. We believe that a part of STEM literacy is the ability for students to be aware of and think critically about the ways in which we are protecting or disturbing the natural world. We hope to use this unit to amplify the voices of Youth Activists of Color and support your 5th graders in developing their own voices as leaders in their community. The unit culminates with students presenting their learning to their community in order to expand their community’s understanding of environmental stewardship.

Sort different objects found in space based upon their size, distance and age!

Use this guide to help students learn the relationships between Earth, the Moon, and the Sun and solve the mystery of the shrinking moon.

Use this slide show to help students explore what a meteorite is and how can they help us better understand Earth and our Solar System.

The Fifth Grade Elementary Framework for Science and Integrated Subjects,Earth and Space: Patterns in the Sky, uses the phenomena of perceived sun and moon movements that seem to move around the Earth to explore stars, Earth orbit and rotation and moon orbit around Earth.  It is part of Elementary Framework for Science and Integrated Subjects project, a statewide Clime Time collaboration among ESD 123, ESD 105, North Central ESD, and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Development of the resources is in response to a need for research- based science lessons for elementary teachers that are integrated with English language arts, mathematics and other subjects such as social studies. The template for Elementary Science and Integrated Subjects  can serve as an organized, coherent and research-based roadmap for teachers in the development of their own NGSS aligned science lessons.  Lessons can also be useful for classrooms that have no adopted curriculum as well as to serve as enhancements for  current science curriculum. The EFSIS project brings together grade level teams of teachers to develop lessons or suites of lessons that are 1) pnenomena based, focused on grade level Performance Expectations, and 2) leverage ELA and Mathematics Washington State Learning Standards.

Don't have solar glasses? Don't worry. Here are five unique ways to view an eclipse, including using a cracker!

Get creative during a solar eclipse and find out how to use the Sun as an artistic tool.

Learn how eclipses work by making your own with some clay, toothpicks, binder clips, a yardstick and don't forget the Sun!

During the activity, students build a model of the Milky Way and understand the objects contained in the Milky Way. They also get an idea about the distances between these objects.

During the activity, students build a star lantern, allowing them to learn that constellations were created by people and are composed of stars. Students learn how to recognise some constellations.

Students explore the outermost planets of our solar system: Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They also learn about characteristics of Pluto and its interactions with Neptune. Students learn a little about the history of space travel as well as the different technologies that engineers develop to make space travel and scientific discovery possible.

Students are given the following engineering challenge: "The invasion has taken place and we need to find a new home. To ensure your survival beyond Earth's occupation you must design a shelter that can be built on another planet." Then students research the characteristics of a planet of their choosing. They design shelter that enables them to survive on a new planet, and explain it in words to the rest of the class. This is a great activity to add to a unit on the solar system.

Students build a model of the Sun-Earth-Moon system, exploring how the Moon revolves around the Earth, and the Earth around the Sun. Students play a memory game and learn some characteristics about the three objects.

Here is a way that you can create a 3D model to wrap your head around moon phases.